Day 24 – Do Not Add to God’s Word

The Call to Guard God’s Word

Today we come to one of the most important principles for understanding the purpose of The Open Gospel.

God gave His people His Word.

And then He gave them a warning:

“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it.”

This principle is extremely important.

Because whenever God speaks, our responsibility is not to improve His Word.

Our responsibility is to believe it, obey it, preserve it, and proclaim it faithfully.

We must not add human requirements and present them as God’s commands.

And we must not remove difficult truths simply because they make us uncomfortable.

The question is therefore:

What has God actually said?

God’s Word Is Enough

We have already established that Scripture is the foundation for the Christian life.

God’s Word teaches us:

who God is.

who we are.

why we need salvation.

who Jesus is.

what Christ accomplished.

how we receive salvation.

how we should live.

how the Church should function.

And Scripture gives us the Gospel.

We therefore do not need to improve God’s message.

We need to faithfully proclaim it.

This does not mean that Scripture answers every practical question with a detailed rule.

It means that Scripture gives us everything God has chosen to reveal for knowing Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, and living faithfully as His people.

We do not need to add divine authority to human ideas.

We need to submit human ideas to God’s revealed truth.

Do Not Add

God says:

“Do not add to what I command you.”

Adding to God’s Word means introducing something that God has not commanded and then treating it as though it carries God’s authority.

This is dangerous.

Because there is a difference between:

“This is something Christians may choose to do.”

and:

“God requires you to do this.”

When we turn human requirements into divine commands, we have crossed a serious line.

God’s authority must not be attached to our preferences.

Do Not Subtract

God also says:

“Do not subtract from it.”

This is equally important.

We cannot remove biblical truths simply because they are unpopular.

We cannot remove:

sin.

repentance.

judgement.

the cross.

the resurrection.

the holiness of God.

the exclusivity of Christ.

the call to discipleship.

the return of Christ.

The Gospel must be proclaimed in its fullness.

We cannot create a Gospel that is more comfortable than the Gospel God has given.

Some truths are difficult.

Some truths confront our pride.

Some truths expose our sin.

Some truths challenge our traditions.

But the difficulty of a truth does not make it less true.

Faithfulness means allowing God’s Word to speak even when its message challenges us.

The Danger of Adding Human Tradition

Jesus confronted religious leaders who had elevated human tradition.

He said:

“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

Notice the problem.

The issue was not simply that they had traditions.

The problem was that tradition had been given a place that belonged to God’s command.

That is precisely why we must examine our traditions.

Not with hatred.

Not with arrogance.

Not with disrespect.

But with an open Bible.

Tradition Must Be Tested

A tradition may be:

old.

beautiful.

culturally meaningful.

emotionally powerful.

But none of these things make it automatically biblical.

The question is:

“Is this taught by Scripture?”

And if it is not commanded by Scripture, we must be careful about calling it a requirement from God.

This is where the Bereans provide such a powerful example.

They listened.

They considered what they heard.

And then:

“They examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

They did not blindly accept teaching simply because someone was speaking with authority.

They opened the Scriptures.

We should do the same.

Testing teaching against Scripture is not rebellion.

It is biblical discernment.

The Bible Is the Standard

This is one of the central principles of The Open Gospel:

The Bible must examine our traditions; our traditions must never become the judge of the Bible.

We do not begin with:

“What does our tradition say?”

and then search for verses to defend it.

We begin with:

“What does Scripture say?”

Then we allow Scripture to shape our beliefs.

This does not mean that every question has only one possible Christian answer.

There are matters of wisdom, culture, conscience, and practical preference where faithful believers may reach different conclusions.

But disagreement does not give us permission to turn our preferred practice into God’s command.

God’s Word remains the final authority.

What About Practices Not Specifically Commanded?

We need wisdom here.

Not everything Christians do must have a direct command in Scripture.

For example, Christians may meet in:

homes.

church buildings.

community halls.

The New Testament does not command one particular type of building.

These are practical choices.

The danger begins when we take a human practice and say:

“God requires this.”

when Scripture does not say that.

There is a difference between:

biblical command

and

human practice.

We must not confuse the two.

A Biblical Command or a Human Requirement?

Ask two questions:

Does Scripture command it?

If yes, we should obey it.

Does Scripture forbid it?

If yes, we should reject it.

But if Scripture neither commands nor forbids a particular practice, we should be careful about making it a requirement for salvation or Christian acceptance.

In matters where Scripture gives freedom, we should act with wisdom, love, conscience, and concern for others rather than judging fellow believers over matters God has left open.

This protects the Church from unnecessary burdens.

It also protects us from confusing our preferences with God’s commands.

Do Not Add Requirements for Salvation

This is especially important.

The Gospel tells us that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

We are not saved because we successfully complete a list of human religious requirements.

Paul says:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8

Salvation rests upon Christ.

His death.

His resurrection.

His finished work.

We must never add human requirements to Christ’s finished work and tell people:

“Christ is not enough.”

Christ is sufficient for our salvation.

We do not need to add human works, religious requirements, or another mediator to what Christ has accomplished.

Christ’s Finished Work Cannot Be Improved

Jesus cried from the cross:

“It is finished.” — John 19:30

The work necessary for our redemption was accomplished through Christ’s death and resurrection.

We cannot add something to Christ’s sacrifice that makes it more complete.

We respond to His finished work through faith.

We trust Him.

We follow Him.

We obey Him.

But we do not become our own saviour.

Faith does not complete Christ’s work.

Faith receives and rests upon what Christ has already accomplished.

Faith Produces Obedience

There is another important balance.

Saying that salvation is by grace through faith does not mean obedience is unnecessary.

True faith produces a changed life.

Jesus said:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” — John 14:15

We are not saved because we obey perfectly.

We obey because we have been saved and because we love Christ.

This distinction is essential.

Obedience is the fruit.

Christ is the foundation.

Grace does not produce careless Christianity.

Grace produces grateful obedience.

Do Not Subtract the Call to Repentance

There is also a danger in creating a Gospel that says:

“Just believe whatever you want; nothing needs to change.”

That is not the biblical Gospel.

Jesus called people to repentance.

The apostles preached repentance.

The Gospel calls sinners to turn from sin and turn toward God.

We must not subtract repentance because it is uncomfortable.

Grace does not make sin unimportant.

Grace gives sinners forgiveness and calls them into a new life with Christ.

Repentance is not a payment we make for salvation.

It is part of turning to God in response to His grace.

Do Not Subtract the Lordship of Christ

Jesus is not merely a ticket to heaven.

He is Lord.

The Gospel calls us to trust Him, follow Him, and submit our lives to Him.

We cannot preach:

“Receive Jesus as Saviour but ignore Him as Lord.”

Christ is both.

He saves us.

And He calls us to follow Him.

Our obedience does not earn His lordship.

His lordship is already true because He is Lord.

The question is whether we will respond to Him with faith, submission, and obedience.

Do Not Add Human Mediators

Scripture tells us:

“There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 2:5

Therefore, we must be careful never to add another person to Christ’s unique mediating role.

Human beings can teach.

They can pray for one another.

They can encourage.

They can serve.

But Christ alone is the Mediator between God and humanity.

We must not add to what Scripture teaches about Christ.

No human leader can take His place.

No religious practice can replace His saving work.

No tradition can become another foundation of salvation.

There is one Mediator: Jesus Christ.

Do Not Add to Worship What God Has Not Commanded

God takes worship seriously.

Jesus said that the Father seeks people who worship Him:

“in the Spirit and in truth.” — John 4:23

That means our worship should be shaped by truth.

We should ask:

Is this biblical?

Does this honour Christ?

Does this help people understand the Gospel?

Does Scripture teach this?

Rather than simply asking:

“Is this traditional?”

Worship should never become an opportunity to elevate human creativity, tradition, or preference above God’s revealed truth.

The central question is whether Christ is honoured and God’s truth is faithfully proclaimed.

Christian traditions may differ in matters of practice, but no tradition should be treated as equal to or above the authority of God’s Word.

The Danger of “We Have Always Done It”

One of the strongest arguments for tradition is:

“We have always done it this way.”

But Scripture asks a different question.

Not:

“How old is it?”

But:

“Is it true?”

Not:

“How many generations have practised it?”

But:

“What does God’s Word say?”

A practice does not become biblical simply because it is old. And a biblical truth does not become false because it is new to us.

The Open Gospel Is a Call to Examine

This is why the name matters.

The Open Gospel.

Open the Scriptures.

Open our hearts.

Open our minds.

Examine our traditions in the light of God’s Word.

Open our lives to the truth of God’s Word.

We are not asking people to blindly accept what we say.

We are asking them to open the Bible and examine it.

If something we teach is not faithful to Scripture, reject it.

The authority is not in us.

The authority is in God’s Word.

This also means that we must be willing to examine ourselves.

If Scripture corrects our teaching, we must change our teaching.

If Scripture corrects our traditions, we must change our traditions.

If Scripture corrects our lives, we must change our lives.

God’s Word is not under our authority. We are under its authority.

A Message for the People of the East

For generations, many people have inherited their faith from:

parents.

grandparents.

communities.

national traditions.

church traditions.

There is nothing wrong with receiving a heritage.

But Christianity cannot ultimately be based upon:

“This is what my family believed.”

The question must become:

“What does God’s Word say?”

You may have inherited a tradition.

But you must personally examine the Gospel.

You must personally come to Christ.

You must personally trust Him.

Faith cannot be inherited like a family name.

Your parents’ faith cannot substitute for your own faith in Christ.

Your cultural identity cannot substitute for repentance and faith.

Your church background cannot substitute for knowing Jesus.

The Gospel calls each person personally to Christ.

You Are Responsible to Examine

Nobody should be afraid to open Scripture.

Not because we think we know everything.

But because God has given His Word to His people.

The Bereans were praised for examining what they heard.

That should encourage us.

You can open your Bible.

You can ask questions.

You can compare teaching with Scripture.

You can search.

You can examine.

And when God’s Word reveals something different from what you have always believed, we should have the humility to say:

“God’s Word is right. I need to change.”

That is not defeat.

That is spiritual maturity.

A teachable heart is willing to be corrected by God’s Word.

Truth Must Be More Important Than Tradition

This can be difficult.

Because changing our understanding may mean admitting:

“I was wrong.”

But there is no shame in being corrected by God’s Word.

The real danger is knowing the truth and refusing to follow it because of pride.

A humble heart says:

“Lord, teach me.”

A mature believer does not fear correction.

They welcome truth even when truth requires change.

God’s Word Is Not Our Enemy

Sometimes people are afraid that examining tradition will destroy Christianity.

But God’s truth does not need protection from honest examination.

If something is true, Scripture will confirm it.

If something is false, Scripture should expose it.

Therefore:

Do not fear the Bible.

Open it.

Read it.

Study it.

Test what you hear.

And allow God’s Word to lead you.

We honour God’s Word by submitting our beliefs to it.

The Invitation

Perhaps you have inherited beliefs that you have never personally examined.

Or there are traditions you have always accepted because your family, community, or church taught them.

Maybe you have added requirements to your faith that God never commanded.

Perhaps you have removed difficult truths because they made you uncomfortable.

Perhaps you have been trusting religious performance rather than Christ.

Perhaps you have never opened Scripture deeply enough to examine what you believe.

Today, the Shepherd invites you to open His Word.

Do not be afraid of what you may discover.

God’s truth is not your enemy.

Come with humility.

Come with honesty.

Come with a teachable heart.

Ask God to show you what is true.

And when Scripture corrects you, do not harden your heart.

Be willing to change.

Do not add to the Gospel.

Do not subtract from the Gospel.

Do not place human requirements alongside Christ’s finished work.

Do not replace Christ with human authority.

Do not allow tradition to become more authoritative than Scripture.

Instead:

Open the Bible.

Examine what you believe.

Trust Christ.

Follow His Word.

Proclaim the Gospel faithfully.

And remember:

Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Christ alone is our Saviour and Mediator.

Scripture is our final authority.

And all glory belongs to God alone.